el metaverso para favorecer la motivación en la asignatura estudios sociales de educación básica superior

Abstract

The present research focused on the implementation of the metaverse as an educational tool in the teaching of Social Sciences, with the objective of strengthening students' motivation. As technology advanced, the metaverse was presented as a three-dimensional virtual environment that allowed interaction between individuals and digital objects, which could revolutionize the way in which teaching and learning took place. In the problem statement, the lack of motivation among social science students was identified as a significant challenge. The research sought to explore how the metaverse could be used as an interactive tool to enhance student engagement and interest. It was argued that the implementation of the metaverse could offer more active and experiential learning, adapting to the needs and learning styles of individual students. The paper set out several research objectives. The general objective was to implement a metaverse to strengthen student motivation in Social Studies learning. The specific objectives included identifying students' needs and characteristics, designing a pedagogical plan integrating the metaverse, developing an accessible and relevant virtual environment, implementing the metaverse in the educational context, and evaluating its acceptance and effectiveness. The study population consisted of teachers and students of the 10th parallel EGB “I” of the Colegio de Bachillerato Nueve de Octubre in Machala. Through surveys and data analysis, we sought to gather information on the perception of students regarding the use of the metaverse in their learning. The results of the surveys revealed a positive trend towards the implementation of the metaverse. A 76.6% of the respondents showed a favorable acceptance towards the activities carried out in the virtual environment, indicating that these captured their interest. The majority of students (53.3%) found the activities engaging, while only 6.6% expressed negative opinions. This suggested that the metaverse had the potential to engage students effectively. In addition, the relevance of the content and activities offered in the metaverse was examined. Eighty percent of respondents felt that the resources were relevant and tailored to their interests. The most common response was “Agree” (66.7%), which indicated that the metaverse could meet students' expectations in terms of educational content. However, 16.7% of neutral opinions were also identified, suggesting that there was room for improvement in personalizing the experiences. The analysis also addressed the ability of the metaverse to inspire students to explore more resources and perform activities autonomously. Some 63.3% of respondents agreed that their metaverse experience motivated them to seek out more information and resources on their own. This was significant, as autonomy in learning is a key indicator of academic success. In terms of motivation and performance in Social Science learning, the results were equally encouraging. Some 80% of the students believed that the use of the metaverse had improved their motivation. The majority (53.3%) agreed that this tool positively impacted their academic performance. However, there was also a small percentage (10%) who were neutral or disagreed, indicating that not all students experienced the same level of benefit. The paper concluded that the metaverse had significant potential to transform social science education by offering a more dynamic and engaging learning environment. However, it emphasized the need for further research and adaptation of the technological tools to the specific needs of students. It was suggested that future research should focus on the personalization of metaverse experiences and how these could be effectively integrated into the educational curriculum. In summary, the degree work highlighted the importance of technological innovation in education and how the metaverse could be a valuable tool for improving student motivation and achievement in the Social Sciences. As education evolved, it was crucial for educators and institutions to adapt to these new realities in order to provide more effective and engaging learning experiences. The research presented in this paper not only contributed to the field of education, but also opened the door to new possibilities for learning in an increasingly digital world.